Rony Stanyforth
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald ("Rony") Thomas Stanyforth (30 May 1892 – 21 February 1964) was an Army
officer and English
amateur
first-class cricket
er, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
and England, captaining England in the four Test match
es he played in.
Stanyforth was born at Chelsea, London
, England
, the son of Edwin Wilfred Stanyforth of Kirk Hammerton
Hall, Yorkshire
. He was educated at Eton
and Oxford University. He played for Oxford University
in 1914 and then served in World War I
. He was awarded the MC
and CVO
. After the war he played for Combined Services
in 1922, Army
from 1923 to 1929, MCC
from 1923 to 1933 and H. D. G. Leveson Gower's XI in 1926.
Stanyforth, a wicket-keeper
, captained England against South Africa
in 1927/8, and he won two, lost one and drew once. However, the series was a draw as the fifth Test, when Greville Stevens
stood in for Stanyforth, was lost.
Only three of Stanyforth's sixty one first-class games were played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the County Championship
, and all three came in 1928 after he had captained England. He also played for the Free Foresters
from 1930 to 1933.
Stanyforth served in the 21st Lancers
, as Aide de Camp to General Alan Brooke 1939-1940, and as GSO1 21st Army Group 1941-1945.
Stanyforth died at Kirk Hammerton, Yorkshire, in February 1964, aged 72. He was a trustee of the MCC at the time of his death, and the author of Wicketkeeping, published in 1935.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
amateur
Amateur status in first-class cricket
Amateur status in first-class cricket had a special meaning, especially in England, in that the amateur in this context was not merely someone who played cricket in his spare time but a particular type of first-class cricketer who existed officially until 1962, when the distinction between amateurs...
first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and England, captaining England in the four Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
es he played in.
Stanyforth was born at Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Edwin Wilfred Stanyforth of Kirk Hammerton
Kirk Hammerton
Kirk Hammerton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the River Nidd and on the A59 road, west of York.The village is served by Hammerton railway station....
Hall, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Oxford University. He played for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
in 1914 and then served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was awarded the MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
. After the war he played for Combined Services
Combined Services cricket team
The Combined Services cricket team represents the British armed forces. The team played at first-class level in England for more than forty years in the mid-twentieth century. Their first first-class match was against Gentlemen of England at Lord's in 1920, while their last was against Oxford...
in 1922, Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
from 1923 to 1929, MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
from 1923 to 1933 and H. D. G. Leveson Gower's XI in 1926.
Stanyforth, a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, captained England against South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
in 1927/8, and he won two, lost one and drew once. However, the series was a draw as the fifth Test, when Greville Stevens
Greville Stevens
Greville Thomas Scott Stevens was an English cricketer who played for Middlesex, Oxford University and England. He captained England in one Test match, which was lost to South Africa in 1927/8, when he stood in for Rony Stanyforth. Stevens was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1918.-External...
stood in for Stanyforth, was lost.
Only three of Stanyforth's sixty one first-class games were played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
, and all three came in 1928 after he had captained England. He also played for the Free Foresters
Free Foresters Cricket Club
Free Foresters Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1856 for players from the Midland counties of England. It is a 'wandering' club, having no home ground....
from 1930 to 1933.
Stanyforth served in the 21st Lancers
21st Lancers
The 21st Lancers were a cavalry regiment of the British Army, created in 1858 and amalgamated to form the 17th/21st Lancers in 1922...
, as Aide de Camp to General Alan Brooke 1939-1940, and as GSO1 21st Army Group 1941-1945.
Stanyforth died at Kirk Hammerton, Yorkshire, in February 1964, aged 72. He was a trustee of the MCC at the time of his death, and the author of Wicketkeeping, published in 1935.